“The case for studying endangered languages is very strong on linguistic grounds. It is often enormously strong on humanitarian grounds as well. But it would be self-serving of linguists to pretend that this is always the case. … We should always be sensitive to the concerns of the people whose language we are studying. But we should not assume that we know what is best for them.” (p 810)

“… the families’ supporters argue for the importance of valuing traditional healing practices as fundamental cultural values that ought to be preserved and respected no matter what Western medicine might favour or predict.” (p 69)

“Enculturation. The process of learning a culture is called enculturation. The enculturation process usually progresses in stages; six-year-olds are more enculturated than three-year-olds, teenagers have almost completed the process and in many cases are under the impression that they have, which can be a source of tension between them and fully enculturated individuals.” (p 229)

“The closest one can come to understanding Japanese time is to approach via the route of MA. MA is time-space. … in the West we pay particular attention to the arrangement of objects, and in Japan it is the arrangement of the spaces — the intervals, MA — that are attended. In speech this means that it is the silences between words that also carry meaning and are significant.” (p 208)

“According to Fuentes, our denial of the past has led to the degradation of morality and the denial of the lessons of the past. Denial of the rights as well as the reality of other cultures is another of the consequences of Western time concepts.” (p 201-202)

“Viewed in the context of human behavior, time is organization. However, Condon’s insights include much more. For example, the definition of the self is deeply embedded in the rhythmic synchronic process. This is because rhythm is inherent in organization, and therefore has a basic design function in the organization of the personality.” (p 180)

“One clue is that the Japanese are more aware of synchrony than the average Westerner. Those tremendous Sumo wrestlers, for example, must synchronize their breathing before the referee will allow the match to begin, and the audience is fully aware of what is happening. In this same vein, Japanese who are conversing will frequently monitor their own breathing in order to stay in sync with their interlocutor!” (p 164)